How'd everyone do today?

[asheebeans]

If I didn't have a sense of humor, I would be in tears over today. I was the only seller that showed up at the Farmer's Market!! I even went and checked the sign, thinking maybe it was closed! It wasn't. I had two little old ladies stop, and a funeral procession full of looky-loo's....but that was it. I sat long enough to read my chapters needed to complete my homework, and I was outta there!!! The funny part is, I had to go to work after that and I sold two candles because someone had asked if I had any with me! LOL What a day!

Edited September 25, 2010 by asheebeans

[Candybee]

Our farmers market has been getting a bit smaller too but nothing like what you went thru. Sorry you had a rough day!!

Today I did better than I was expecting. One of my wholesale customers came by to pick up a special soap order and she wanted to see my fall candles. So she asks if she can take a case with her so I pull out a box and say 'sure!' So she buys a case and takes a fall wholesale brochure with her.

Then the mother of one of my best all-time customers comes out today and wants some candles. Her son is the one that buys armloads of soap from me about 3-4 times a year and gave her a candle and soap from me. So she comes out today cause she wants some more candles.

Then a woman who bought soap from me last month stops by and said I was right about how nice the soap would make her skin feel. She said she was skeptical at first but after she tried it she loved how her skin felt so she came back today to buy a set of soap. I do a 4 for special.

So I had a couple good sales but the rest of the day at the market was dead.

This is why repeat customers are soooooo important. Sometimes they can be your only customers on a slow day but they spend the most money.

Edited September 25, 2010 by Candybee

[asheebeans]

This year has been weird. My online sales are picking up, but local sales are flat! I'm hoping the Holiday season is better.

[safetysue]

I did my first event today at the local Ben Franklin Craft Market. It lasted about an hour because the weather man was wrong – AGAIN. I did have a whopping $63 in sales in that hour so not all was lost and I won’t have to make any inventory for the next one.

[LuminousBoutique]

oooooh my big fall show starts on Wednesday and I am just crossing my fingers. Things were tight this year (because of slow sales over the summer) and I wasnt able to buy the supplies I needed to stock up. So I literally have only 1/4 the stock I have had in the past for this show as far as candles go. This could turn out to be a good thing or shoot me in the foot.. good if sales are slow, because maybe I'll sell it all without being saddled with a bunch of holiday scents come spring.. but bad if people are buying and I dont have enough for them.

Luckily I am all stocked up in B&B but im sad about my current position. I hope I sell out of everything (this is a 3 day show and its huge so its possible) and get to drive to Denver to peaks and restock on wicks, jars and wax. Hit up MMS and restock on oils, and call up CandleScience and get some 5lb jugs of FO heading my way. Thats my christmas wish, lol

[LovelyLathers]

I had my best Farmers Market yet! I am so happy. Best sellers were the soaps that have not been selling well at all. Glad to get rid of some of those.

Next weekend is my biggest festival of the year, which I am chairperson of. Last year we had a lot of rain so hopefully this year the weather and sales will be great.

[Lumina]

I do the Farmer's Market on Wednesday and Saturday.... This past Wednesday I sold absolutely nothing...... a lot of lookers but nothing... the week before was great. It is so hard to tell what will sell and each week seems to be something different.

I did have a craft show over Labor Day weekend where someone picked up my card and did contact me about an wholesale order.. so that was something.

Yesterday I did a show at a metaphysical fair... I was the only vendor there selling candles, so that was good. I did pretty well considering how slow it was...but the good news is I had the store owner ask me about consignment and a new customer asked me if I would do consignment at her new store.. so those are looking positive.

How do most people feel about consignment??

Cindy

[islandgirl]

Very Happy with Saturdays show.. Did 2x the amount of last year. ( We had to leave at 2 last year due to rain).

The past 2 Saturdays have been killer shows!!

I hope the rest of the season continues this way.

I have been really worried because of the tanking economy that people won't be buying. But they seem to be - so there is hope for all of us!! WHAHOO!!

[Brenda (OH)]

My Saturday craft show was the best I have ever done I was scrambling all week pouring to restock since on a whim I did a Chili Fest the Saturday before and sold lots more than I expected. So far my shows have been alot busier than my website which is odd. Usually my site keeps me very busy.